The man died while being held at Morton Hall immigration removal centre near Swinderby, Lincolnshire.
Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

An investigation has been launched into the death of a 38-year-old immigration detainee after the Home office confirmed that a Jamaican man died on Tuesday while he was being held at Morton Hall immigration removal centre in Lincoln. It is the third such death in less than a month and human rights campaigners have expressed alarm at the incident. The prisons and probation ombudsman has begun an investigation.

The charity Medical Justice, which works to improve the health of immigration detainees, has documented deaths since 2000. With this latest case the death toll of those who have died in immigration detention or shortly after release since that time stands at 43.

On 19 September a Chinese detainee died at Dungavel immigration removal centre in Scotland, and on 7 September a 28-year-old Polish man, recently released from Harmondsworth immigration removal centre near Heathrow Airport, died in hospital after life support was withdrawn.

In the Harmondsworth case Paul Morrison, the centre’s manager, circulated a letter to detainees stating that the detainee was taken to hospital after he tried to kill himself and that some detainees tried to help him immediately after the incident. “This is clearly a very sad and tragic event,” Morrison wrote.

The three deaths happened after undercover video footage was broadcast by Panorama last month that included a guard threatening a detainee while choking him: a nurse stood by and did not intervene. The investigation revealed other incidents of mistreatment of vulnerable detainees including those who were suicidal.

Celia Clarke, director of the charity Bail for Immigration detainees, said: “We are horrified at the news of yet another death in detention barely two weeks after the last one. The devastating impact of detention on individuals is plain to see. It is unacceptable to punish people in this way for the purpose of immigration control. Detention is, after all, a form of punishment. It is time this inhumane and unnecessary system is ended once and for all. How many more deaths will it take before something is done?”

Emma Ginn, coordinator of Medical Justice, said: “Our volunteer doctors have seen a disturbing level of medical mistreatment and lack of care in immigration detention. Year after year, investigations into deaths reveal ongoing systemic healthcare failings, and we fear that as long as these continue, there will be more deaths. The Home Office is responsible for the body count; all deaths in detention are avoidable, as immigration detention is optional. Detainees are terrified by the conditions in which they are held and [the fact] that other detainees are dying. They should all be released immediately.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a 38-year-old Jamaican man previously detained at Morton Hall immigration removal centre died yesterday in hospital. Our thoughts are with the family at this very sad time. As is the case with any death in detention, the police have been informed and a full independent investigation will be conducted by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. We will make no further comment while this is being investigated.”